Grandpa Punches Bear and Other Encounters

Living in the country has its benefits and trade-offs. The danger of bears is one of those occupational hazards that comes with living in the woods. With black bears and grizzlies out of hibernation, run-ins with bears have been reported around the country.

In Northern California, a 73-year-old man reportedly punched a black bear to keep it away from his dog. Carl Moore apparently punched the 300-lb bear in the face while it was trying to get over a small gate. Moore said his Chihuahua barking and putting up quite a fuss when he noticed the beast trying to get in.

In Roanoke County, Virginia a bear reportedly killed five goats at a place called 12 O’Clock Knob. Yea, we know. Don’t ask. Louise Dillion told local television station WDBJ 7, said she’s keeping a close eye on her property.

“It’s very scary,” she said. “I sleep with my windows open, so I can hear anything it’s just very scary.”

In a place you wouldn’t expect many bears, down in Arizona near the Mexico border outside Sierra Vista, a popular hiking trail was reopened this week after wildlife officials killed a bear in the area. The black bear had aggressively charged some hikers on April 23 leading to the trail closure and officials took care of the bear about a week later, according to the Arizona Daily Sun.

In Achorage, Alaska there is a happier story as an entire black bear family with four cubs were relocated to a forest out of town. The sow and her cubs attracted attention last fall and apparently hibernated somewhere in the area over the weekend. The family was again spotted this spring and officials were going to euthanize them until an outcry from the public ensued. Governor Bill Walker even stepped in, also asking that the bears be removed and not killed.

Officials had been tracking the sow as part of a research study so they knew where she was at, according to Ken March, a biologist with Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

“It’s a remote location and it’s far enough away from people and communities that we’re hoping the bears are going to adapt to a wild setting, and become wild bears not dependent on people and trash and that sort of thing,” Marsh told local KTUU in Anchorage.

Marsh said a bear rooting around trash cans is not a death sentence for that bear, though he warned residents to clean up trash and remove any attractants on their property.